Apple Brown Betty

I love a good, warm dessert when it's freezing out.  This was perfect after dinner for my dad's birthday, when it was a cold and windy night. Bread crumbs, brown sugar and apples are layered and baked together in a buttery coating...delicious!

 

 

Ingredients

• 3 whole apples, preferably Granny Smith
• 7 slices wheat bread
• 3/4 cups salted butter
• 1-1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 Tablespoons (to 4 Tablespoons) Water

Directions

Peel and thinly slice 3 apples. Slice bread into a small dice, or tear into very small pieces.

Coat a small baking dish or pie plate with butter. Then add 1/3 of the brown sugar, 1/3 of the apple slices, and 1/3 of the breadcrumbs.

Repeat these layers twice more, ending with breadcrumbs.

Slice butter and lay slices all over the top of the breadcrumbs.

Sprinkle dish with water and a little more brown sugar, and bake in a 375-degree oven, covered in foil, until done – about 45 minutes. Remove foil in last few minutes of baking to brown the top.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream.

Apple Cider Cupcakes with a Caramel Frosting

These were a hit at the Thanksgiving table!  The cake is more like a pound cake and could be made as either a cake or cupcakes.  The caramel frosting was amazing!

Cupcakes:

Ingredients:
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 2/3 cup flour
1 cup pasturized apple cider
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 cupcake wells.  In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture, then 1/2 of the cider, and repeat, ending with the last of the flour and mixing only until incorporated. Pour into prepared cupcake pan, filling each cup 3/4 way full. Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the center cupcake comes out clean.
Cool thoroughly, then frost.

Frosting:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons milk
3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar 

Melt butter in a saucepan, stir in the brown sugar and the salt. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add the milk, stirring all the while.  Return to heat and bring to a boil again. Remove from heat and allow to cool until lukewarm (approximately 20 to 25 minutes). Stir in the confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth and cool enough to spread. You might need to add a few drops of milk if frosting gets too stiff.